New Xterra Pro4x

I have a 2011 Pro4X that tows a Chalet Arrowhead that is considerably lighter than your trailer (dry weight 1435#, GVWR 3000#), and I think you will find that your trailer is too heavy for your Xterra. We just completed a trip that included your area (northern Nevada), and like my state of Washington, you have considerable variations in elevation that will test the limits of any tow vehicle. You will need a weight distributing hitch (WDH) for sure, and unless Nissan improved their notoriously wimpy rear leaf springs by 2015, you may also need to add air springs to help keep your rig level.

If you are set on using that vehicle to tow with, you need to find a trailer with a gvw of 4,000 lbs. or less. Even then, it will not be a good experience. The dry weight of 3,991 lbs. on that trailer is much lower than it's actual weight with propane, battery, etc. Those items, and other trailer options are not included in it's dry weight.

kittydaddy wrote:
Thanks for the responses.
What I was told, is that if your towing capacity is for example
5000lbs. your trailer itself loaded cannot be more than 5000lbs.
So, if you need to load stuff that would make your trailer OVER 5000, that extra stuff needs to go in the tow vehicle.
My tow vehicle for example can handle up to 1000lbs of cargo which includes the passengers.
It's basically a balancing act between the truck and the trailer.

Your vehicle has several limits listed on that door sticker.

GCWR: Gross Combined Weight Rating is the maximum total weight of the tow vehicle and the trailer. This is the design limit of the engine, transmission, cooling system and brakes and their ability to start, stop and move the load. The GCWR doesn't care whether the weight is in the trailer or the TV. It still has to be moved and stopped.

So your "Towing Capacity" or "Maximum Trailer Weight" is calculated as the GCWR minus the weight of the tow vehicle. That TV weight assumes that the vehicle has only the mandatory options, no cargo and only one 150 lb. occupant. It's a calculated number of the max weight of a trailer based on the assumption that the TV is at its lowest possible weight. So if the TV is not at its lowest possible weight, then the Maximum Trailer Weight will be lowered.

GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the maximum weight of the TV including all occupants, cargo and trailer tongue weight. This is the maximum weight that can be loaded onto the TV. It's the design limit of the frame, bearings, springs, tires and other components.

Front GAWR and Rear GAWR: Gross Axle Weight Rating of each axle.

None of ANY of these limits should be exceeded. Typically, when one loads up the TV with people and stuff and hooks up a trailer, the rear axle GAWR or the TV GVWR are the first limits reached. Usually that happens with a trailer that weighs quite a bit less than the "Maximum Trailer Weight".

I interpret your response to say that your TV has a 1000 lb. payload. A 5000 lb. trailer could have a tongue weight of 500-750 lbs. A 750 lb. tongue weight would leave 250 pounds available for all occupants and other cargo in the TV.

we loved the Xterra but decided that it would be a bad choice for a tow vehicle.
this was based on its short wheelbase, high center of gravity and its low payload capacity.

your 1000lbs. payload capacity has to account for passengers, cargo, WDH and tongue weight.

Thanks for the responses.
What I was told, is that if your towing capacity is for example
5000lbs. your trailer itself loaded cannot be more than 5000lbs.
So, if you need to load stuff that would make your trailer OVER 5000, that extra stuff needs to go in the tow vehicle.
My tow vehicle for example can handle up to 1000lbs of cargo which includes the passengers.
It's basically a balancing act between the truck and the trailer.

Typically the weight of occupants and cargo in the tow vehicle along with the tongue weight of the trailer will exceed the payload rating of the tow vehicle before the trailer exceeds the "maximum trailer weight".

My rig is at 84% of the GCWR, 97% of the GVWR and 99% of the rear axle GAWR.

What does the payload sticker on the door indicate as the maximum payload, "combined weight of occupants and cargo"?

As a rule of thumb, you want to give yourself an additional 1k lbs over dry weight for random ****(pantry, full tanks, camp chairs, etc)

Even then you dont want to be at your maximum capacity towing, it makes for a grueling trip when your tow vehicle is straining in the foothills. My trailer for example, is nowhere near my tow capacity. I enjoy setting the cruise control and chatting along going down the road not worrying about making speed for the next hill

I had an 01 Xterra for almost 15 years and it was a great SUV. I had a small lift and 32" tires and I could get that thing just about anywhere I could walk. That old 3.3 V6 was an awesome engine but it sucked when I tried to pull our 3500 lb gross pop up with it. Talk about a dog. Yours will tow a lot better and should do okay although your weight is getting up there for that size tow vehicle. Just watch your weights and make sure you don't exceed your axle, hitch or tire ratings. I started to have a few issues with my Xterra near the end but overall it was an incredibly reliable and tough little SUV. It's too bad Nissan stopped making them but I guess most people want mall crawlers instead of capable SUVs these days.